I have been suffering from Urticaria since March. I was in Aruba and while there I got them on my 2nd day and happened to get engaged the following day. I really thought I had a bad reaction to seafood since were eating a good amount of it. While there, I tried to cope with it the best I could. I would get them at night, wake up with them and by 10am they would start to go down. I went to the pharmacy and got benadryl. Benadryl only helped me sleep. I really hoped it would go away, some nights were bad others I got hardly anything. When I got back, I realized they were only getting worse and went to my physician who recommended me to an Allergist. He did the skin test and put me on a ton of antahistamines and prednisone. One thing alone did not work I had to take both together. At one point my doseage of prednisone went up to 60mg and I was a bloated, emotional miserable mess. My physician thought maybe I was stressed from being engaged, but if anything I was so happy and excited. After being on prednisone for 2 or 3 months my physician recommended I see a new endocrinologist. I've had Hoshimotos thyroiditis for 18 years or so. When I saw him he said he's cured people of Chronic Urticaria by raising their doseage of thyroid medication(synthroid/levoxyl). I went on the higher doseage and slowly tapered my prednsisone. I went off the predsnione and I was back to my normal self. No hives at all! Now three weeks ago, I slowly started to notice tiny hives coming back and now I am back to full fledge hives. It is so frustrating to not know what is causing this. My allergist pretty much told me I am SOL and am going to learn for a way to cope with it. I don't agree with that, but this time around I'm trying not to take it so hard. I'm in a better mindset (I hope that stays). My normal pattern for my hives are: itchiness around 8pm, 10pm they start to creep out, morning I wake up with them usually on my legs and arms and also other various places which are different every day(ears, face, torso, chest, feet.

A week ago a friend at work recommended I see a Naturopathic Dr. she knows. I went yesterday and she seemed to know what she is talking about. She gave me several different senarios that could be going on in my system. She highly thinks though that it is either yeast in my body or high liver enzymes causing the hives. Unfortunately this visit was not easy on the wallet, but at this point I realize that I need to get better. If she can help me I will find a way to manage the money.

I must say that it is comforting to know that I am not the only one living with this and sad that there is no research going on for it.

I'm so excited and happy to be getting married next year......the last thing I want is stupid, itchy red spots all over me on my wedding day.

If anyone has had any success with Naturopathy please post.

Thank you all for posting your situations, it has definitely made it easier for me to cope!

I came upon this conversation by accident and everything in this, written by everyone, I could have written. I have had cronic hives for ten years. I have been to Drs, Alternative med. Allergists, you name it. I have believed it was hormonal because of it being worse at period time, I thought it was the yeast or wheat, sugar whatever. The allergy meds stopped working years ago. The Herbs help, Oregano oil is the best. and cutting all wheat and yeast helps too. But I want to know what causes this.

After reading what everyone has written I have a new theory, The Thyroid medicine that makes the thyroid levels normal. What if that is the key ? What if Levothyroxin is great for millions of people, but for a sad and itchy few it is horrifying.

I was hive free for 2 years and I went to my phamacy and asked what I was taking for that two years, and it turns out that Levothyroxin was off the market for that two years, apparently while they got thier paper work in order for the government.

Almost eleven years ago I was diagnosed Hypothyroid and given Levothyroxin, 8 months later I was on this ten year odyssy with hives. When it came back on the market it was exactly 8 months that I got a full blown case of hive again. It came back on the market in the summer of 2005.

Compare your notes and lets figure this thing out. something has to be causing it. Plumtri

i have been reading everyone's information about chronic urticaria. Mine started about a year ago and got progressively worse. At first I was going to my doctor to get corizone shots once in a while. Then I went to an allergist, who prescribed for me, hydroxizine, zyrtec and prednisone. That didn't work, so I went to another allergist who put me on doxepan(sic), more prednisone et al, and even gave me an epinefrin pen to carry around. This didn't work, so I went to a gastreontologist, who prescribed for me xifaxan, alinia and also more prednisone. This worked for a while, and then my urticaria returned. I went to a third allergist who prescribed allegra, albuterol and, yes, more prednisone. I have so much medication in me I have my pharmacy on speed dial.

Last night, in addition to my daily urticaria outbreaks, I suffered an allergic reaction after eating dinner. I went to the emergency room and got 3 shots: Epinefrin, Benedryl and prednisone. The symptoms subsided. Then I woke up a few hours later, with my whole body covered in Hives and itching from head to toe. I am not sure why my body is reacting this way. I am going to make an appointment with an immunoligist and see if there is anything going on internally. I will take your advice and also see a homeopathic doctor.

I've posted several times on this site and am happy to report that my hives are continuing to improve. I found a doctor who FINALLY (3 years and 7 traditional doctors later) determined they are linked to a yeast allergy which causes candida (bad bacteria) overgrowth in your digestive track which basically poisons your system and causes hives. I know this sounds sorta hookie - and most traditional doctors don't believe in candida - but it is certainly working and my goal is to be able to be out in the sun on a beach next summer.

Anyhow, several of you have asked for more info on what my doctor has me on. Here is the run down:

Here is what my doctor has me taking. But there were other things I was on before - I had to build my system up. Some things (the Candida) will give you an adverse reaction (lots of bathroom time) if you just start taking it immediately so I don't recommend dosing yourself. I don't know if these things are available from the manufacture because I get them from my doctor.